Very high levels of minerals, especially, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, silica, iodine, silicon, sodium, and sulfur. They also provide chlorophyll and tannin, and they're a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and B complex vitamins. Nettles also have high levels of easily absorbable amino acids. They're ten percent protein, more than any other vegetable.

Some of the health benefits of eating nettle include: stabilizing blood sugar; enhancing the operation of the circulatory, immune, endocrine, nervous, and urinary systems; reducing fatigue and exhaustion; reducing allergic and menopausal problems; and eliminating chronic headaches.

I make a tea from them. I've heard they are good in soups as well and have seen lasagna recipes from the Moosewood Cookbook.

If I'm remembering correctly nettles should not be eaten by pregnant women.

I got a bag of dried nettles from my CSA last year and made a tea out of it. I had read that it was a diuretic (makes ya pee) and that was the experience I had with it.

Or, you can train for next year's World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2005/06/17/nettle_eating_feature.shtml

I have tried nettle lasagne and duuude, is it delicious. I'm really curious about that fabled nettle pizza now!

I also had the stinging nettles pizza at Chez Panisse not too long ago. It was delicious and I have been looking for the nettles ever since - but I have still not seen them in the Los Angeles area (I am sure they just don't grow here). Good Luck

Just fry them in vegetable oil, 140 degree Celsius. Nothing else, I know that way they are fantastic! just recently had fried nettle with Jaloviina gravad Artic char and I loved it.

You can use it in place of spinach! But it does have to be cooked to remove the sting.

I once had a very lovely risotto made with nettles.

frittata, it's a classic!

James Birch at the Hollywood Farmer's Market has nettles in season. He had them a few weeks ago.

We almost always use them in a soup, either a puree or a mexican-style meatball.

Blanch them, drain and squeeze moisture out, puree with a little chicken stock, cream, a bit of olive oil and or butter, garlic and seasonings. Warm and toss with ricotta gnocchi, or any other gnocci. Its divine!

www.lemontart.ca

Above sauce also great dolloped on white fish.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made gnocchi with them on an early River Cottage episode. There was also a spanikopita made with nettles, so it seems like anywhere you'd used spinach is a potential recipe.

I [heart] hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

It is my understanding that they don't necessarily have to be cooked to remove the sting--grinding them will have the same effect. I enjoy nettles raw: just hold the nettle carefully so that your fingers don't touch the underside and roll into a cigar shape with the top of the leaf facing out. Slip it into your mouth and chew up all those vitamins. You'll notice that it kind of tastes like spinach. I've also used it raw prepared as a pesto in my food processor. Stinging nettles are something I think people get a bit too scared by--if you accidentally touch the underside of the leaf, I think you'll find the sting's not life-threatening...in fact, I don't get stung at all, though my husband does. Anyway, I'd say that if you want to play it safe, just cook it and use it as you would spinach.
--chompsky

I have too many horrid memories of a childhood spent romping through stinging nettles in England and then suffering the consequences after. I can't imagine willingly putting them in my mouth.

The Valley Shepherd Creamery here in NJ makes a tasty sheep's cheese with nettles in it.

Same here Kelseyjean!
The worst of all summer chorse during my childhood was being forces to weed the nettles out of the garden which always resulted in painful red rashes up and down my arms and legs. I'm guessing that those who enthusiastically want to eat them never encountered nettles as a kid, or they'd be as scared of them as I am!

Fritattas! Also they make a good soup.

I also had that nettle pizza at the Chez Panisse cafe a few years ago and have been craving it ever since!

I made this pesto out of ramps - and it's spectacular: http://www.sassyradish.com/archives/2009/06/pasta_with_stinging_nettles_an.html

Blogger Lang Cook (Fat of the Land) has a bunch of recipes for nettles. Haven't tried them, but most look worth trying.

http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/search/label/nettles